The present invention generally relates to the field of computers. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of communication ports of computers.
Computers and other electronic devices have become integral tools used in a wide variety of different applications, such as in finance and commercial transactions, computer-aided design and manufacturing, health care, telecommunication, education, etc. Computers along with other electronic devices are finding new applications as a result of advances in hardware technology and rapid development in software technology. Furthermore, the functionality of a computer system or other type of electronic device is dramatically enhanced by coupling these type of stand-alone devices together in order to form a networking environment. Within a networking environment, users may readily exchange files, share information stored on a common database, pool resources, and communicate via electronic mail (e-mail) and video teleconferencing. Furthermore, computers along with other types of electronic devices which are coupled to the Internet provide their users access to data and information from all over the world. Computer systems have become useful in many aspects of everyday life both for personal and business uses.
It is appreciated that a computer (e.g., desktop or laptop) may be communicatively coupled to the Internet or other computers via wired or wireless technologies. For example, a Global System for Messaging (GSM) digital cellular phone may be attached to a serial communication (COM) port of a computer thereby enabling the computer to wirelessly communicate with the Internet or other computers via the GSM cell phone.
Moreover, other types of electronic devices such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) may be communicatively coupled to a serial COM port of a computer. It is understood that a PDA is a portable computer system that is small enough to be held in the hand of its user and can be xe2x80x9cpalm-sized.xe2x80x9d Typically, a PDA has the ability to be communicatively coupled to a serial COM port of the computer thereby enabling a process of synchronizing data stored by the PDA with corresponding data stored by the computer. Specifically, this synchronization process exchanges and updates corresponding data between the PDA and the computer. As such, changes to the corresponding data stored by the PDA and/or the computer appear in both places after the synchronization process is completed. This type of synchronization process is referred to as a HotSync(copyright) process by Palm, Inc. (a popular manufacturer of PDAs and PDA operating systems) of Santa Clara, Calif. Usually, in order for a HotSync process to occur, HotSync Manager software is installed on the computer. The HotSync Manager software controls the HotSync process between the PDA and the computer.
Since a computer typically has a limited number of physical serial COM ports (e.g., some laptop computers only have one), a user may desire to use the same serial COM port for both a HotSync process and utilizing a GSM cell phone to wirelessly communicate. However, there are disadvantages associated with using the same serial COM port for both of these applications. For example, one of the disadvantages is that a HotSync Manager operating in the background of the computer does not allow the GSM cell phone software application to utilize the same serial COM port that the HotSync Manager is currently using. Specifically, when the computer user tries to launch the GSM software in order to enable the computer to communicate over a GSM cell phone, the computer provides an error message indicating that it was unable to open the serial COM port.
It should be appreciated that some computers (e.g., laptops) are implemented with one or more infrared (IR) serial COM ports which also exhibit the same conflict described above. However, a company (ZiLOG, Inc. of Campbell, Calif.) has developed software that enables sharing of an infrared serial COM port so that a cell phone (for example) having infrared communication capability can use the same infrared serial COM port that has been opened by (or configured to be used by) a HotSync Manager. However, there are disadvantages associated with this prior art solution.
One disadvantage is that the prior art solution only operates with infrared serial COM ports. It should be appreciated that infrared serial COM ports are typically not installed with desktop computers and they are not installed with some laptop computers. Therefore, the prior art solution is not useful for computers installed with other types of serial COM ports (e.g., RS232) that do not involve infrared technology.
Accordingly, what is needed is a method and system for enabling a communication application to utilize a non-infrared serial COM port that was previously used for a HotSync process controlled by a HotSync Manager. Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system which accomplishes the above mentioned need.
Specifically, within one embodiment of the present invention, arbitration software operating on a computer is able to determine whether communication software utilizes the same serial communication (COM) port of the computer as a HotSync Manager. If they do use the same serial COM port, the present embodiment arbitration software shuts down the HotSync Manager, if it is running, thereby enabling the serial COM port to be utilized for other purposes (e.g., wireless modem communication). However, if the present embodiment arbitration software detects a HotSync Request received via the serial COM port, it runs the HotSync Manager enabling a HotSync process to occur between (for example) a personal digital assistant (PDA) and the computer. Once the present embodiment arbitration software detects the completion of the HotSync process, it shuts down the HotSync Manager until it detects the next HotSync Request.
There are advantages associated with the communication port arbitrator in accordance with the present invention. For example, one of the advantages is that other communication software programs are able to utilize the same serial COM port that was previously utilized by a HotSync Manager. As such, a computer user is not concerned with conflicts when utilizing the same serial COM port for different communication functions. Another advantage is that the communication port arbitrator of the present invention is able to operate with any type of communication port of a computing device.
In another embodiment, the present invention includes a computer readable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for causing a computer to perform particular steps. The computer readable medium causes the computer to perform the step of determining whether a first and second communication applications utilize a communication port of the computer. It is appreciated that the second communication application does not share the communication port while operating on the computer. In response to the first and second communication applications utilizing the communication port, the computer readable medium causes the computer to perform the step of determining whether the second communication application is operating on the computer. In response to the second communication application operating on the computer, the computer readable medium causes the computer to perform the step of turning off the second communication application. Additionally, the computer readable medium causes the computer to perform the step of allowing communication via the communication port involving the first communication application. The computer readable medium also causes the computer to perform the step of determining whether a request for a communication process involving the second communication application has been received. In response to receiving the request, the computer readable medium causes the computer to perform the step of activating the second communication application. Furthermore, the computer readable medium causes the computer to perform the step of determining whether the communication process involving the second communication application has been completed. In response to the communication process involving the second communication application being completed, the computer readable medium causes the computer to perform the step of turning off the second communication application such that control of said communication port is not monopolized by said second communication application.
In yet another embodiment, the present invention includes a computer readable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for causing a computer to perform the particular steps described above in the previous paragraph along with an additional step. Specifically, after all of the particular steps described above are performed, the computer readable medium causes the computer to repeat the step of allowing communication via the communication port involving the first communication application.
The present invention provides these advantages and others which will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after having read the following detailed description of embodiments in accordance with the present invention.